Sunday Times 2
A heartfelt pledge for a healthy heart
This year’s World Heart Day was celebrated yesterday (September 29) on a theme “a simple promise for my heart, for your heart, all our hearts”.
As an individual, a promise to prepare and eat a more healthy diet, to do more exercise and encourage children to be more active, to say no to smoking.
As a health care professional, a promise to save more lives. As a politician, a promise to implement the non-communicable disease (NCD) action plan. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the world’s number one killer today. It kills 17.5 million people a year. That is one third of the deaths worldwide and half of all NCD-related deaths. Around 80 percent of these deaths are in low- and middle-income countries where human and financial resources are inadequate to deal with CVD.
The Geneva-based World Heart Federation, which is the biggest platform for making awareness about CVD including heart disease and strokes, initiated World Heart Day in 2000. Together with member countries, the Federation spreads the news that at least 80 percent of premature deaths from heart disease and strokes could be averted if the main risk factors like smoking, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, high-blood pressure, high-blood cholesterol and diabetes are controlled.
Every year, on and around September 29, National activities and events such as public talks, cardiac screening, heart walks, runs, concerts or sports events are organised worldwide by members of the World Heart Federation to spread the word about how we can combat premature deaths caused by CVDs and strokes.
In Sri Lanka, public seminars and heart walks will be held by the Sri Lanka Heart Association (SLHA) in Colombo today in collaboration with Lanka Hospitals to create public awareness.
We call on all people to reduce their and their family’s risk of heart disease and strokes. The household is the perfect place to start taking action to improve one’s health.
You and your family can take four steps:
Stop tobacco smoking at your home to improve your own and your children’s heart health.
Tobacco use and exposure to passive smoking kill 6 million people a year and account for nearly 10 percent of CVDs. Each year exposure to passive smoking kills 600,000 people in the world. (28% of this are children according to WHO figures). Within two years of stopping smoking the risk of CVD is substantially reduced. In Sri Lanka, the campaign against tobacco smoking by the Health Ministry is highly appreciated even by WHO.
Healthy food options at home.
Start the day with a piece of fruit and prepare your own lunch at home to ensure healthy meals.
Make sure every evening meal contains at least 2-3 servings of vegetables.
Avoid processed food which often contains high levels of cholesterol, trans fatty acids and salt.
Drink plenty of water.
Be active
Families should limit the amount of time spent on watching TV for less than two hours a day.
Organise outdoor activities, eg: cycling, playing in the garden and hiking.
Just a 30 minutes’ walk at least five days a week will help prevent heart disease and strokes.
Know your numbers.
Visit your doctor or healthcare professional to check your blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose levels and control your weight in keeping with the body mass index (BMI).
Obesity which is harmful to health is becoming an increasing risk factor with regard to CVD and strokes.
CVD is responsible for 17.5 million deaths every year and by 2030 this is predicted to rise to nearly 23 million, according to WHO figures.
Along with other NCDs, Cardiovascular disease (CVD) places a heavy burden on the economy of low- and middle-income countries.
Strict lifestyle changes can make a significant difference to our heart health. By sharing knowledge we can inspire each day to become more heart healthy.
The burden of CVD can be reduced if we take prompt action “Now”.
We must take control of our own heart health by understanding our own and our family’s risk of CVD and act to improve it.
The Government and the Health Ministry must accurately understand the scale of problems by investing in CVD surveillance and monitoring.
If everybody promises FOR MY HEART, FOR YOUR HEART AND FOR ALL OUR HEARTS people all over the world can have longer and better lives through the prevention and control of heart disease and strokes.
(The writer is Consultant Cardiologist and former President of Sri Lanka Heart Association)